Salesforce to Reopen San Francisco HQ Next Month
Meanwhile, the company had no reopening date for its New York City Salesforce Tower
By Celia Young April 12, 2021 5:58 pm
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Salesforce plans to reopen its U.S. offices to vaccinated employees, starting with its Salesforce Tower San Francisco headquarters in May, the company announced on Monday.
At the same time, Salesforce is extending the option for all employees to continue working from home through at least Dec. 31. The company embraced a mostly remote work plan in February, where most workers would only need to show up to the office one to two days per week, while some could remain fully remote.
As part of the reopening plan released on Monday, fully vaccinated employees can voluntarily join groups of 100 or fewer people to work on designated floors in certain offices, starting with San Francisco, Palo Alto and Irvine. The company plans to have on-site COVID-19 testing mandated twice weekly, as well as “COVID health officers” to help employees and ensure they are following safety measures.
Other safety measures include distanced furniture, touch-free handles and sensors, plexiglass between desks, temperature screening stations, air purifiers in conference rooms and, of course, an abundance of hand sanitizer and other cleaning products.
For the second phase of Salesforce’s reopening program, offices will gradually reopen from 20 to 75 percent capacity, depending on local guidance and COVID-19 cases, for vaccinated and unvaccinated employees. The final stage of reopening is 100 percent capacity.
Salesforce already opened 22 offices outside of the U.S., including two in Israel on Monday, with 17 in the second phase of its reopening plans and five operating at 100 percent capacity, including the company’s Sydney office.
Salesforce’s reopening in Sydney revealed preferences among employees for starting the workweek at home and using collaborative spaces when in the office. In the Sydney office, employees used 64 percent of collaborative spaces — like lounges and conference rooms — while only using 24 percent of desk space. A Salesforce spokesperson added that nearly half of employees only want to come in a few times each month, but 80 percent want to maintain a more regular connection to an office.
As San Francisco’s largest private employer, Salesforce has about 54,000 employees across the globe. The reopening announcement, coupled with a work-from-home extension, sends a mixed signal about the company’s plans for the office market, and whether or not the company will change its portfolio. A Salesforce spokesperson said the company would continue to evaluate its real estate strategy to best meet the needs of the business.
Salesforce also has a huge presence in Manhattan, occupying 300,000 square feet at 3 Bryant Park, also known as Salesforce Tower. A Salesforce spokesperson said the company had no reopening date for its New York City Salesforce Tower, but was looking forward to welcoming back employees.
Other major occupiers in Manhattan have already announced plans to drop office space as it adds more remote work options for its employers. JPMorgan Chase — the largest private tenant in the city — is looking to sublet just under 700,00 square feet at 4 New York Plaza and more than 100,000 square feet at 5 Manhattan West.
